Not Paying Car Payments

ComplaintsFinancesUS Equity Advantage aka 866 half pay

Complaint

0
Ms. V
Country: United States
I canceled my contract on November 4, 2009 after contacting my auto finance company and finding out that my November car payment hadn't been made even though the money had been taken from my account.  I was told by Brenda that I would receive my money by November 18, 2009.  On November 19, 2009 I called back to inquire to where my money was since my car payment was due on November 21, 2009.  I was told by Brenda that she would try to have the money expedited.  When she called me back she said it was being sent out that day by US mail.  They were paid to perform a service and they only make the payments once a month instead of every 2 weeks like their website says.  They are making money off my money and now my car payment will be late because of them not doing what they say they do.

This is from their website "The Equity Advantage Program is a bi-weekly program that has helped thousands of consumers pay off their auto loan faster.

By just paying half of your auto loan payment every two weeks, you end up making 26 half payments a year.  That adds up to a full extra payment each year.   This extra payment is totally applied towards reducing your principal balance.  The amount of interest this saves you, over the life of your loan, is simply staggering."  

BEWARE THEY HAVE CAR DEALERS SIGN YOU UP AND YOUR ARE UNDER THE IMPRESSION THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY SAY UNTIL YOU CONTACT YOUR LENDER.  ALSO THE DEALERS MAKE A COMMISSION OFF YOU USING US EQUITY ADVANTAGE ALSO.

Comments

  • 0
    tj
    Anytime you allow some third party to insert themselves between your bank account and a creditor, you run the risk that they will mess up, either through incompetence or dishonesty, at your expense.

    You are always better off paying your debts directly yourself, and there is generally nothing some "service" can do that you cannot do directly yourself, without the fee, including making additional payments on a loan whenever you choose to do so.

    Changing from 12 monthly payments a year to 26 biweekly payments is just a gimmick.  The biweekly payments generally aren't even put to work for you earning interest or paying down the loan early, they just sit waiting to be sent in as a monthly payment, with a couple monthly payments slightly larger due to 26 instead of 24 payments per year.  Nothing here you couldn't do yourself, with a disciplined approach to your own finances.

    One danger with any third party payer, as you have seen, is that they might screw up, resulting in loan penalties and damaged credit to you.  The other danger is that they might have financial trouble or go bust while sitting on your money, tying up a payment or two until a court appointed receiver can sort out the mess, possibly resulting in actual loss.  You would want to be sure any such company is properly licensed and that the debited payments are held in an escrow accout and not co-mingled with the ocmpany's own assets.

    I doubt any of the above issues were pointed out to you or any of the other customers solicited for these schemes.  I doubt you would even know how to check out these issues, and if you were sophisticated enough to do so, you would have no need for their services.

    Stay on top of them to make sure your money is either applied to your loan, or returned to you.  Do not let this problem stretch out, as that would be an indication of some problem with the company.  Your finances may take a hicup if you get dinged with a late payment fee or have to fill in a missed payment.  

    Keep in mind that if your lender receives a payment after the due date, credit reports only show amounts late in multiples of 30 days, so if it is not 30 days late after the due date, it would not be accurate to show it late on your credit reports.
  • 0
    tom
    I had the same thing happen. I just had my loan institution call to see where my payments were. I'm considering having my attorney contact them next.
  • 0
    Ms V
    | 6 replies
    Apparently this update didn't make it into this post:

     265 days ago by   LadyV       0 Votes
    I want to let everyone know that he V.P. of the company contacted me on his own time and wanted to know what he could do to resolve this problem. Well I'm glad to say that my car payment was made by the company yesterday and that he made me feel like a person and not a number. I want put his name out there because I know that he normally doesn't deal with customers, but I want to thank him for not only addressing the issue, but resolving it in a manner that was acceptable to both myself and his company.

    Thank you U.S. Equity Advantage for restoring my confidence.
    • 0
      DD replies to Ms V
      | 2 replies
      It seems you have a working phone number for where they can be reach, may I please have it? Because the number I have for them is no longer working. Thanks in advance for the info.
      • 0
        Gerri C replies to DD
        Could I get their phone # too. I cannot reach them, and I need to.
      • 0
        renee replies to DD
        800-894-5000.
    • 0
      Dee replies to Ms V
      Could i get there number because i can seem to contact them either.
    • 0
      Smith replies to Ms V
      | 1 reply
      8008945000

      Help@useautopay.com
      Hr@useautopay.com

      BBB.org does not have thier current phone number listed.
      • 0
        D replies to Smith
        I think that it's really crazy that they don't have a number where you can get in touch with them. that's bad for the company. I call the car dealship to see if they had a number she had the same number i had she told me that she has had a lot of call about them  because ppl can't get in touch with them. they could have had the number on their when you call they are about to mess up a lot of ppl because of this. i'm done with them i'm closing my account so that they can't get anything out of it if i can't call you about my money that you take out everyweek then you want be getting it. but i bet they will find a way to call you about your account being late. This is a real sad story i have been with them 6 yrs. in have never had a issue with them.
  • 0
    Concerned Consumer
    At the end of stating our concern for the auto payment not being forwarded to Ally after being withheld from checking account we received a saluation of be blessed after being assured there would be resolution within 24 hours.

        When verification that the issue has been resolved, we will make another post or contact our local Better Business Bureau.
  • 0
    Derek
    I have used Half Pay since May 2008.. Half pay never missed a single payment.. It was awsome.. It was nice to know I could forget all about my lump sum payment. I had them take the money out the day after my check deposit so that way I never noticed the money missing and I checked my accounts daily. Its a great tool plus it saves me from driving to my bank which is about 8 miles away!


    Derek
    From Pittsburgh !!!! GO STEELERS!!
  • 0
    Will
    I canceled mine today, after noticing that the money they withdrew from my account last month was only transferred to my lender today, a month later (they held my money for 30 days), another thing I noticed is that if the first half of the payment is drawn from your account on the first day of the month you end paying 1 and half of payment in a single month and your lender receives only a month later. In 75 months of payments they would charge me $ 1.45 fee per payment, 75 (months) x 2 (payments per month) x $ 1.45 = $ 217.50, if you search the web site they say:  the economy on interest is after $ 399.00 fee. Then $ 217.50 + $ 399.00 = $ 616.50 that I would have to pay them to work with my money and make profit. In the calculation of the website, a loan of 30,000 in 75 months with 6.94% interest, I'll save $ 621.53 in interest, but they charge me $ 616.50 in fees, my final savings would be $ 5.03 ???. This is ridiculous. If they charge your account and you have no money there you pay a fee of $ 35. this happened to me, they withdrew $ 521.45 on Jan. 16, $ 0.95 on January 20 and $ 261.45 on January 30.
  • 0
    Sparky
    Bottom line...they say to save money the 2 installments a month is the way to go, yet they send it once a month.  It makes no sense.  I will also cancel this 3rd party.  I will make the 2 payments on my own.
  • 0
    jessica
    does any one have there working number? I got them also and they have already taken out the money from my bank and the money is supposed to be pay to my car loan place by the 21st I'm hoping i can find the number so I can cancelle with those guys before I get screwed.
  • 0
    Stephen
    US Equity advantage are the worst..  They take money from your account and then do not make the biweekly payments as agreed.  Eventually after them taking multiple dips from my acct and not making the payment my lender GM I got hold of someone and there excuse is they was a change and they are setting up my account to pay gm ten days before the due date.  Which is abolsute insane as i signed up for bi-weekly payments not once a month.

    Any Dealer that presents these people should be avoided, as they are nothing but a sham.  Also there is it wil take 30 days before we refund your money, somehow I doubt I will ever see that money again.

    It will probably cost me more to pursue them what they have taken from my account.  I just hope they honor there cancelation process and dont keep trying to take my money
  • 0
    Dee
    I want to cancel these people cause there taking money out of my account when ever they like and it is messing up my other payments and also there taking 1 and ahalf payments a month, i dont have that extra money to give them times are hard does anyone have a number.
  • 0
    James
    I think I found out where US Equity is now. They're called Use Auto Pay and here's the website with a phone number.

    http://www.useautopay.com/
  • 0
    Unhappy customer
    False advertising company. Complete ripoff! They claim they pay your loan every two weeks, but this is a complete lie. They deduct every two weeks from your account and pay once a month on your loan. Not only that, its only the minimal due amount. No advantage whatsoever. Once you calculate the full picture, they keep 4, yes four complete payments every year you are using their services. So, say you happen to stay with them for 5 years, with paying half your loan bi weekly, they keep TEN, 10 of your full loan payments! Oh, plus $399.00 for the service and $1.95 per deduction from your account.
  • 0
    Sonia
    I canceled my contract with this company, because they  played with my money. I don't need a third  party to make a monthly payments when they are  withdraw money from the account every other week. I put a stop payment on my account and If I don't receive my refund back, I lost just one payment. Thanks God I saw the fraud they make on time. I'm very dissapointed with the car dealer in the way they presented me that " offer" when in reality is a fraud...
  • 0
    carla yust
    Im on disability and a fixed income, i was given a snow job that this would help my credit and pay my car off faster ; what a lie, they take the money out of my account 2xs a month but pay half payments to my lender. They have my account so messed up i may never get it strait !!!  I pray to God that i can get this all fixed today but i am still canceling my account with these crooks !!!  Ialso intend to turn this over to the federal trade comission for further investigation !!

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